Your Health: The Benefits Of Root Vegetables

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Not only are they low in fat and calories, they're also high in Vitamin C, beta carotene and fiber.

Carrots are one of the most popular root vegetables, but there are other less common choices that are equally as delicious.

Local chef Boo Wells has some tips.

"Parsnips are my new favorite. They're sweet. They add a whole dimension to roasted root vegetables or even mashed potatoes. If you mashed parsnips in with it, they're just phenomenal," said Wells.

Wells also suggests sweet potatoes and beets and roasting them all together.

"So we're peeling them and especially with parsnips, they do have a woody core that you want to remove and cut them into pieces, like one-inch cubes, a little olive oil, a little kosher salt and pepper, maybe some fresh herbs and just roast them in a 350 degree oven until they're tender," said Wells.

To include some flavors that are more familiar, you can add white potatoes, onions or garlic.

They're also grown underground and classified as tubor and bulbs.

There is another plus to all these healthy veggies - they have a long shelf life.

If kept in a cool, dark place, you can enjoy them throughout the winter.